TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run News

TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Race Report

Feb 20, 2018

Oh my gosh – how much fun is that race??? Thanks to you, the 700+ participants! What an awesome weekend we had, with a fun s-shirt pickup at the Running Shop then a beautiful morning at Old Tucson Studios. With participants from 25 states, many of you were from out-of-town – come on back and we’ll show you around some other great parts of our running community. Frankly, this past summer we had been thinking about cancelling the race, but then you all signed up – thanks for being part of our running community.

Three quick details:

1) If you think you earned an age-group award, please see results here. Questions about your results can be addressed to Greg Wenneborg here. The Age Group and Overall Winner gift certificates are now at The Running Shop (3055 North Campbell Ave). If you signed up, but missed the race, you can pick up a shirt at The Running Shop (please bring your registration confirmation to show the folks at The Running Shop). All race materials will be available through April 1st.

2) Our volunteer photographer, Kerry Whelan, has provided photos at his Goatographer page here. See below for the details on using the photos.

3) TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson is produced as a joint partnership with the non-profit Southern Arizona Roadrunners and Run Tucson, led by Tia and Randy Accetta. If you have any questions about upcoming SAR events (such as the Spring Cross Country Classic or Dave's Run 10k/5k) or about joining SAR, see www.azroadrunners.org.

The women’s race saw some serious running, with world-class triathlete Lisa Roberts cruising to victory in 25:30. Lisa had run a duathlon the day before, so she is clearly in pretty good shape! Speaking of good shape, the next three ran in a tight pack throughout the single track trails, with past champion Lauren Reasoner digging deep for a kick to take second overall, followed closely by Tara Bruce and then Kristina Bonet. Top Masters runner Marjanne Magana brought her brand-new little one to the awards ceremony!

In the men’s race, Kurt Michels took an early lead and never looked back (well, except perhaps for a moment on top of Horse Poop Hill) – he won in a time of 21:24. Second place finisher Aaryn Olson was the first over-40 runner, followed by Olver Koehler. Ramon Billy earned the master’s award, with his fifth place overall finish.

This was some serious speed up front: Aaryn Olson set the new Master's Mens Course Record, while Ramon Billy now has two of the three fastest Master's times. 2018 Race Champ Kurt Michel was one second off the course record and now has the 2nd fastest time in race history.

In the One Mile Fun Run, soccer teammates Lincoln Reed and Aric Accetta raced to the finish line in 1st and 2nd, followed by Jaclyn Waggoner and Anabelle Accetta as the first two females.

The two oldest official finishers were 81-year-old Paul Robillia in the 4-miler and 80-year-old Bill Krats in the 1-mile. On the women’s side, 77-year-old Sue Smith marked her return to the 4-miler! Thanks to all three of you for being inspirations for all of us.

Thanks to the sponsors who made this possible

Funding for the events produced by Run Tucson comes from Tucson Medical Center – we are eternally grateful for TMC for enabling us to keep registration costs low and still produce these full-featured events.

Sharon Bart at The Running Shop has supported this race since she was the race director for its parent race, Sundown at the Pass – thanks to The Running Shop for all the pre- and post-race support, as well as the awards.

Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Race results now posted

TMC Sunrise Race Weekend Details

Feb 17, 2018

Read on for the details....

Saturday Schedule

10:00 - 1:00 pm: In-person registration and packet pickup at the Running Shop, 3055 North Campbell.
Please note, all shirt sizes are first-come, first-served. There are no race transfers allowed. New registrants can pay with cash or check. Please be nice to the staff and the volunteers.

Sunday morning Schedule

6:45: In-person registration and packet pickup begins at Old Tucson Studios front gate (all shirt sizes are first-come, first-served). Cash and check only on race day. There are no race transfers.
8:00: Women's Four-Miler starts -- please note, women may run in the men's race, but will not be eligible for age-group or Grand Prix awards
9:00: Men's Four-Miler starts -- again, women can certainly run in the men's race!
9:00: One Mile Walk/Fun Run starts -- there are no awards for this, while the free 10-and-under will be listed on the website as participants
9:45 or so: Awards and Free Lil' Pardner's Costume Fun Run -- fun 100-yard dash around the High Chaparral and Bitter Creek sets
10:00 or so: we try to wrap up and let everyone enjoy their visit to Old Tucson Studios, then head out to the International Wildlife Museum or on to the Tap & Bottle Beer Mile
NOTES:

Children 10 and under are free in the one-mile race, but without a t-shirt and without breakfast -- they will be listed on the results page as participants
You may purchase additional breakfasts for $10 per person, at the breakfast line.
Friends and family are allowed in Old Tucson during the event up until race end.
To stay in town after the park opens, additional guest passes to Old Tucson are a discounted $8 per person and must be purchased by the runner at the park entrance beginning at 9:45am. A participant wearing their race number must be present to take advantage of this special race entrance rate.

Sponsors and Partners
Thanks to our race sponsors for making this possible: Tucson Medical Center, the Running Shop, Tucson Lifestyle Magazine, the Arizona Daily Star, KGUN's The Morning Blend, Cox Communication, and Connect CoWorking, and Rincon Air Conditioning and Heating. We are also grateful to Old Tucson Studios and the International Wildlife Museum.
Special thanks to the Southern Arizona Roadrunners!
Special thanks to Linda and Kerry Whelan for all their help![details]Timing
The race is being timed by SAR timer Greg Wenneborg. Greg has asked that everyone wear their race number on the front of their shirt. After the race, the timing tent will be at the finish line at the Bitter Creek set. Last minute issues can be addressed to Greg at the timing tables.Social Media and Race Photos
Our friend Kerry Whelan of Goatographer fame will be on hand snapping photos that you'll be able to find on the SAR facebook page, but please post your own snapshots and photos to the SAR facebook page and tag both the SAR instagram and the Run Tucson instagram accounts
#RunSAR #RunTucson #TrailRunning
Any others? Let us know!
Check out the promotional Tucson Morning Blend interview , highlighting Tucson's unique elements, promoting Tucson tourist destinations, and talking about upcoming SAR races.

T-Shirts
Every participant receives a free race shirt with this year's logo. Sizes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot guarantee the perfect size for everyone.
We try to work locally as much as possible, and our shirts were designed by Gina Nelson and have been printed by Steve King of Team Hoyt at his company, Sunset Embroidery and Screen Print. Awards
Age group and overall awards are courtesy of long-time partner Sharon Bart and The Running Shop.
SAR Membership
If you are not a member of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners, you can join SAR on race day. Visit our tent at the Bitter Creek set.Free Admission Details + Discounts
Old Tucson Studios: You must have your race number with you to tour Old Tucson Studios after the race. To purchase additional guest passes at a discounted rate, you must go with your race number to the Old Tucson entrance gate.
International Wildlife Museum: You must present your race number to the admission booth at the International Wildlife Museum to gain free admission on Sunday.
Tap & Bottle: Our friends at Tap & Bottle are hosting a sold-out Beer Mile at 11:00 pm, while offering a dollar off per beer. See their event page here.

Breakfast Details
To receive your Trailside Breakfast at Old Tucson, you must present your race number to the servers at Old Tucson near the Bitter Creek set at the Finish Line area. Only those with the race number can receive breakfast at the finish line. We have purchased over 600 breakfasts, but there is not enough for spectators and others.
If you want additional food items, please visit the various restaurants along Main Street in Old Tucson Studios to purchase additional food items.
Lil' Pardners Free Kids Dash
This is meant to be a playful dash, with no prizes and no timing. Bring your little ones to the finish line at the Bitter Creek set at about 9:30 and we'll set up a low-key route around the High Chaparral set.

Starting Line, Finish Line, and Bathrooms
The starting line for the women's race, the men's race, and the 1-mile walk/run are all on Main Street near the Palace Hotel. The finish line for each course is at the Bitter Creek set, to the east of Main Street. There are many gender-specific bathroom facilities throughout Old Tucson, along Main Street and near the Bitter Creek set.

Soccer Water Stop, Boy Scouts Course Marshals, Ambulance, and more
Thanks to Drexel Fire Department for providing a stand-by ambulance on site. Thanks to Boy Scout Troop 431 from Fort Huachuca for being our course marshal volunteers.
Thanks to the families from the Fire Serpents soccer team for handing out water at the water station -- the water station is at the 3-mile mark at the Bitter Creek set. There are also water fountains throughout Old Tucson Studios.Route - see maps and race advice on race page
4-Milers: you will start on Main Street, then do one big loop through town, past the Rodeo Grounds, past the finish line and the High Chaparral set, then back through the back lot of Old Tucson past the old Church and Boothill Cemetery. After leaving town, you will head into the desert for a well-marked two mile loop that includes single track, horse trails, washes, and dirt roads. Look for the orange and red flagging. The 3-mile mark is at the Bitter Creek set. From here, you have the final lap through town and back to the finish.
The course will be marked by orange and red flagging.
Suggestions: It's a trail run, so keep your eyes up, watch for cactus, watch for directions, be willing to sacrifice speed for safety and course accuracy.

One Milers: You will do roughly a lap and a half of the town loop. You'll start with the men's mile and do one full loop, then on the second loop, you will turn left at the Rodeo Grounds to the finish line. If you head out into the desert, you are on the four-mile loop. Don't do that.

Rain or shine, baby! TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Race will take place rain or shine

Feb 16, 2018

Hello SAR friends: The TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Race will take place rain or shine, so get yourself ready for the original mud run and join visitors from 25 states and Scotland for the coolest trail run in the Southwest. Click here for all the race weekend details.

You can still register in person on Saturday, February 17th at The Running Shop (3055 North Campbell Avenue) from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm and you can register on race morning, Sunday, February 18th at Old Tucson Studios (201 South Kinney Road -- take Speedway west over the mountains, then turn left!). Remember: shirt sizing is first-come, first-served.

Three Final Ways to Register for Sunday’s TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run

Feb 13, 2018

1) You can sign up online through Thursday at midnight,; 2) you can sign up in person Saturday from 10-1 at The Running Shop (3055 NortH Campbell); 3) or you sign up on race morning at the race site, Old Tucson Studios (201 South Kinney Road -- take Speedway west over the mountains, then turn left!).

TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson: 10% SAR member discount ends on January 15th

Jan 13, 2018

SAR members, hurry and sign up for TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson before the SAR member discount rides out of town on January 15th . . . . don't have your coupon code? Let us know and we'll shoot it over . . .

Course Highlights: Single track trails, dirt roads, washes, and the dusty Old Tucson Main Street
Course Distances: Men's 4-mile; Women's 4-mile; Family-friendly 1-mile -- each race is capped, so be sure to sign up before we reach the limit!
Free Breakfast: First 500 receive free breakfast and a colorful shirt
Colorful shirt: First 500 receive a colorful short-sleeved shirt in either women's or unisex sizing
Free admittance to Old Tucson Studios: Everyone registered receives free admission to Old Tucson Studios, for a full day of Old West fun! Guests receive special discounted pricing, so everyone can enjoy the day together.
Free admittance to International Wildlife Museum: Everyone registered receives free admission to the renowned International Wildlife Museum on race day.
Age Group and Overall Prizes: Gift certificates to The Running Shop for overall and age group winners.
Beneficiaries: Southern Arizona Roadrunners
Sunrise at Old Tucson is scheduled to be part of the 2018 Southern Arizona Roadrunners Running Shop Grand Prix.
Kids 10 and under are free, but without a t-shirt and without breakfast.

Giddy’ Up Boys and Girls—Registration Open for TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run

SAR members: check your email from December 20th or January 2nd to see the super-secret-SAR-member-discount-code.

Course Highlights: Single track trails, dirt roads, washes, and the dusty Old Tucson Main Street

Course Distances: Men's 4-mile; Women's 4-mile; Family-friendly 1-mile -- each race is capped, so be sure to sign up before we reach the limit!

Free Breakfast: First 500 receive free breakfast and a colorful shirt

Colorful shirt: First 500 receive a colorful short-sleeved shirt in either women's or unisex sizing

Free admittance to Old Tucson Studios: Everyone registered receives free admission to Old Tucson Studios, for a full day of Old West fun! Guests receive special discounted pricing, so everyone can enjoy the day together.

Free admittance to International Wildlife Museum: Everyone registered receives free admission to the renowned International Wildlife Museum on race day.

Age Group and Overall Prizes: Gift certificates to The Running Shop for overall and age group winners.

Beneficiaries: Southern Arizona Roadrunners

Sunrise at Old Tucson is scheduled to be part of the 2018 Southern Arizona Roadrunners Running Shop Grand Prix.

Kids 10 and under are free, but without a t-shirt and without breakfast. Friends and family are allowed in Old Tucson during the event up until race end; to stay in town after the park opens, additional guest passes to Old Tucson are a discounted $8 per person and must be purchased by the runner at the park entrance beginning at 9:45am. A participant wearing their race number must be present to take advantage of this special race entrance rate.

TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run Preliminary Race Report

Jan 25, 2017

A hardy band of runners braved the cold and desert frost to hit the trails at Old Tucson Studios this past weekend. If you want to see great race photos, visit the SAR facebook page and check out our friendGOATographer and his beautiful race day photos. Results are here on the SAR site; if you won an age group award, you can pick up your gift certificate at The Running Shop, 3055 North Campbell. If you did registered but did not race, you can pick up your shirt this week at The Running. We have limited sizes remaining, but head down to the Running Shop to grab one of the bright blue shirts. In terms of race distance, it seems as if it was about 3.9 miles, so the timing splits will be updated to reflect that. Questions about timing or anything else? Contact race director Randy Accettahere.

Thanks to Tucson Medical Center and The Running Shop for the great sponsorship -- thanks to Southern Arizona Roadrunners and The Workout Group for all the volunteer help! Thanks to other sponsors including My 92.9 radio, Tucson Lifestyle Magazine, the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson Morning Blend, Cox Communication, and Rincon Air Conditioning.

The Morning Blend interview and Sunrise at Old Tucson final registration information

Jan 17, 2017

Great to see new SAR President Michael Miller and TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson co-race director Tia Accetta on The Morning Blend today, talking about Sunday's trail run, SAR's FitKidz, and other SAR events. Not yet registered for the 4-mile Trail Race or the 1-Mile Family Walk/Run? Register here or in person this weekend:

IN PERSON REGISTRATION AND PACKET PICKUP AT THE RUNNING SHOP (3055 N Campbell)
Saturday, January 21 between 10:00 - 1:00
shirt size first-come, first served

New to trail running? A great way to start is the Old Tucson 4-Miler and 1-Mile Trail Walk/Run

Jan 11, 2017

Perfect for trail newbies of all abilities--sign up here and check out the video of the dirt roads, horse trails, and dusty Main Street of historic Old Tucson Studios. Not very technical and loads of fun for walkers, joggers, and runners of all abilities.

Remember, everybody gets free entrance on race day to Old Tucson Studios and the International Wildlife Museum, while also receiving a discount to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Here's what they have written: You must present your race number at any Arizona Sonora Desert Museum ticket window on Sunday (race day) to take advantage of their $2.00 off per person discount on general admission tickets for up to four persons together at the time of the visit. The offer is not valued with any other discounts. You must have your race number in hand.

Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run Registration Is Now Open!

Dec 15, 2016

Sign up hereto run on the grounds of the renowned Old Tucson Studios, a mere 15 minutes from Downtown Tucson but 150 years removed in spirit . . .
This year's race is capped at 500, so sign up to reserve your spot!
SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 22nd
8:00 am Women's Only 4-Miler
9:00 am Men's Only 4-Miler
9:00 am One Mile Family Run and Walk
9:45 (approx) Free Lil' Pardner's Kids Dash

Last-Minute Details for TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson

Shameless TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run Promotion on The Morning Blend

Jan 20, 2016

Yup, SAR's on TV -- check it out! Thanks to race sponsor The Morning Blend for highlighting Sunday's event at Old Tucson Studios. And yes, online registration goes through Thursday at midnight, with in-person registration on Saturday from 10-1 at The Running Shop and Sunday from 6:45-8:00 at Old Tucson Studios.

TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson demographics so far . . .

Dec 31, 2015

Giddy up and sign up for the famed Old Tucson Trail Run and set aside Sunday, January 25th for a great Tucson tourism day. Details here. Free entry to Old Tucson Studios, free shirt with cool new design, free trailside breakfast, free admission to the renowned Wildlife Museum and free entry to the world-famous Arizona Sonora Desert Museum . . . can't beat this deal! Fun for the whole family, young and old, fast and slow, and everything in between! Check out the demographic stats so far:

Breakfast is Back: 2016 Sunrise at Old Tucson Registration is Open!

Dec 3, 2015

Registration is now open, so saddle up, boys and girls!! Sunrise at Old Tucson is a 4-mile cross country trail run on the grounds of historic Old Tucson Studios, site of some of the greatest cowboy movies ever made. All participants receive a free trailside breakfast, awesome shirt with new logo, and a day of free Tucson tourism, with free entry to Old Tucson Studios, free admittance to the International Wildlife Museum, and free entry to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (we're still working out the details with the Desert Museum, so check back!)

Time - 8:00 start time for women's 4-mile race; 9:00 start time for men's 4-mile race; 9:00 start time for one-mile walk/run

Where - Old Tucson Studios,201 South Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85735. Park in the main lots at Old Tucson Studios.

Directions -

From Speedway: Take Speedway from I-10 all the way west, turn south on Kinney, and Old Tucson Studios is just ahead on the left.

From Ajo: Take Ajo west from I-10 to Kinney Road and head north.

Shoe Tag Timing - The race will be timed by SAR timer, Greg Wenneborg, with the shoe-tag timing system. Please pick up your shoe tag before the race at the finish line of the race at the Bitter Creek and Sound Stage 2 set. Greg's volunteers will hand them out. The race will be "gun timed" meaning that you will all receive the same starting time, but your finishing time will be electronically captured by the shoe tag that you place on your shoe. Please return the tags immediately after the race!

What You Get and What To Do

Breakfast:

Everyone who has paid for breakfast will receive a wrist band when they pick up their race number and t-shirt. You must wear your wrist band to receive breakfast. Breakfast will be at Big Jake's, the restaurant at the starting line. Please see below for the list of participants who have paid for breakfast.

Free Old Tucson Entry:

This year, the Old Tucson folks are requesting that racers leave and re-enter the park through the Main Gate, so if you want to visit the attractions in Old Tucson please be sure to leave through the Rodeo Gates and then enter through the Main Gate. Your race number counts as your entry pass, so you must have your race number to re-enter.

Guest Passes to Old Tucson for friends and family:

Your race number entitles you to free entry, plus the discounted companion entry of $8. A participant wearing a race number must be present to take advantage of this special rate.

Desert Museum Pass:

The first 700 registrants will receive one pass good for one free admission to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum - this admission pass is good through February 28th.

Wildlife Museum Pass:

Every registrant may use their race number as a free admission ticket to the International Wildlife Museum on Sunday, January 25th.
T-shirts: Unisex and women's long-sleeve shirts in bright orange, with some women's in pink. These will be distributed at packet pickup in first-come, first-served order. Extra shirts will be available for purchase.

NOTE: all children under 10 are free and will receive a race number but no t-shirt. If we have shirts left over, they can be purchased for $20.

Event Weekend Schedule

Saturday, January 24

10:00am - 2:00pm T-shirt and race number pick up at The Running Shop (3055 North Campbell).

YES: you can pick up the number, wristband, and shirt of someone else.

YES: you can still register other people, though they need to sign the waiver

YES: you can change race distances, though you will have to pay the fee difference to run the 4-miler

YES: you can transfer race numbers for a $10 Transfer Fee.

YES: We accept checks and cash and credit cards through a square reader (credit cards will be subject to a $2 service charge)

YES: T-shirts are first-come, first-served. We have both unisex and women's sizing (women's shirts come in both orange and pink).

Sunday, January 25

6:45 - 8:00 am Registration and packet pick-up in the Old Tucson parking lot, by the old-fashioned camera boom.

NOTE: Because the women's race starts at 8:00am, women's registration will close at 7:45. Men's registration and One-Mile registration will close at 8:00 am.

7:45 Women begin to line up in the center of Old Tucson, on Main Street by the Palace Theatre.

8:45 Men and One-Milers begin to line up in the center of Old Tucson, on Main Street, by the Palace Theatre. Please cheer for women still finishing their final lap as they run down Main Street from the Old White Church.

9:00 The Men's 4-miler and all the one-milers will start

9:00 (approx) Breakfast at Big Jake's by the starting line begins. Breakfast will end at about 10:15 or so. You must have purchased a ticket ahead of time - they will have your name on a list. You must have your wrist band for breakfast.

10:00 (approx.) The Old Tucson folks are requesting that we send park visitors back through the Main Gate, so after the awards and breakfast if you want to visit the attractions in Old Tucson, please be sure to leave through the Rodeo Gates and then enter through the Main Gate.

NOTE# 1: Yes, men can run in the women's race and women can run in the men's race. However, in the interest of fairness, pacing of leaders and age group leaders is not allowed, and if you run in the other gender race you are not eligible for age group awards or Grand Prix points.

NOTE #2: The race takes place rain or shine, with no refunds. Race weekend transfers will cost $10, payable at registration.

Course, Staging and Other Information

The 4 Mile course will follow the same course as the past few years - start on Main Street and do one full loop of Main Street, leave town and do a two-mile stretch through the single-track horse trails, sandy washes, and dirt roads, then climb the short hill behind Bitter Creek to the three-mile mark, and do one final loop of town before finishing in front of the Bitter Creek set by the rodeo grounds. The race page has some advice on running cross country terrain like this.

The One Mile will do a loop and a half of the inner grounds of Old Tucson. The One Mile is closer to 1¼ miles.

Due to the rugged terrain, there are no bicycles, wheelchairs, skateboards, roller skates or pets allowed on the course.

Headphones are NOT allowed for safety reasons.

The courses will be marked with pink and orange flagging, with volunteers from Sahuaro High School Cross Country team out on the course.

Quick advice - If you cannot see a flag, you're probably off course. Keep your eyes open. Don't assume the person in front of you knows where he or she is going. Snakes should be sleeping, but don't run into cactus. We ran the course last weekend and trimmed the trees and cactus, but please keep your eye on the trails!

Volunteers - Special thanks to the track and cross country teams of Sahuaro High School for being course marshals and water station volunteers. Special thanks to the SAR and Workout Group team of volunteers for helping set the course on Saturday afternoon! If you want to help out on race day, we'd be happy to put you to work - contact race director Randy Accetta at raccetta2@cox.net.

Water Stations - There is a water station at the Bitter Creek Set. Four-milers will pass the water station two times - at approximately ½ mile into the race then again at 3 miles into the race. One Milers will pass the water station at approximately 1/3 of a mile into their loop.

Restrooms - Old Tucson Studios has numerous restrooms available throughout the morning

Snacks - We will have Gatorade, cookies, pretzels, and other snacks after the race at the Bitter Creek set. We will also have the world-unveiling of MUD Bars, a new nutritious bar company that is being founded by four undergraduate students at the University of Arizona's McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship. See below for details on this new venture -- as their teacher, we are super proud of them!

Grand Prix - The 4 Miler is part of the Desert Grand Prix presented by the Running Shop.

Shoe Tag Timing, again - The race will be timed by SAR timer, Greg Wenneborg, with the shoe-tag timing system. Please pick up your shoe tag at the finish line of the race at the Bitter Creek set. Greg's volunteers will hand them out. The race will be "gun timed" meaning that you will all receive the same starting time, but your finishing time will be electronically captured by the shoe tag that you place on your shoe. Please return the tags immediately after the race.

Drexel Heights Fire - The Drexel Heights Fire Department will have a dedicated ambulance on site during the duration of the two races, from 8:00-10:00.

Weather - The day is due to be cool in the early morning and nice and hot later, with an overnight low of 45 and high of 75.

Bag Check - There is no bag check, so please be respectful of each other's property.

Awards

Raffles - All preregistered participants will be entered into a raffle for prizes to be given out at the awards ceremony. Prizes courtesy of The Running Shop.

4 Mile Overall 1, 2, 3: gift certs in $50, $40, $30

Masters first only: $40 gift certificate

Age group awards

1st $25, plus sandstone candle

2nd $15, plus sandstone candle

3rd sandstone candle

Sponsors

We are especially grateful to the folks at Old Tucson Studios for making it possible!

A special thanks to Tucson Medical Center (http://www.tmcaz.com) for all their support of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and the local health and fitness community. This race could not have such low entry fees without the support of TMC. Check out the new facility at The Core at La Encantada: https://www.facebook.com/TheCoreTMC

M.U.D. Bars, or "Millions Underfed Daily", makes organic, high-quality, nutritious energy bars with flavors inspired from countries around the world that are also experiencing food insecurity. For every M.U.D. Bar you enjoy, we give a bar back to the country of its flavor!

Facebook: MUD Bars

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MUD-Bars/993685427312999

Instagram: mudbars

Website: www.mudbars.com

Bolivia Bar

Our dark chocolate espresso Bolivia Bar was inspired by the large cultivation of coffee and cocoa in the Yungas region. Our bars are no bake and made from an oat flour, cocoa, and dried fruit base. In addition to being gluten free, Bolivia Bars utilizes ingredients with a low glycemic index, helping you feel full longer and preventing blood sugar spikes that can have you feeling groggy.

Haiti Bar

Our Mango Coconut Haiti Bar was inspired by the tropical hospitality of the Haitian nation. These fruit and nut bars feature a variety of dried tropical fruits nestled between almonds, brazil nuts, peanuts and the staple cereal crop in Haiti; millet. These no bake fruit and nut bars are packed with protein, and fiber and have a low glycemic index to help you feel full longer and prevent blood sugar spikes that can have you feeling groggy.

Updated Details on TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson

Join SAR on Sunday the 25th at TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson and the free Annual Celebration

Jan 14, 2015

On Sunday January 25, SAR celebrates running in Tucson with the TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run (register here)at historic Old Tucson Studios and the annual free party at Gentle Ben's Brewery (register for free here), down by the UA.

Get Going on Your New Year Resolutions!

Jan 1, 2015

The SAR racing season kicks off on January 11th with the traditional Sun Run 10k and 5k, a benefit for Pima College Cross Country. The Sun Run 10k is the first race of the 2015 SAR Grand Prix, presented by the Running Shop - plus it boasts the best post-race pancakes in town! Sign up here. On January 25th is the classic trail run, Sunrise at Old Tucson, a four-mile trail run at historical Old Tucson Studios (register here). Each entrant receives free day pass to Old Tucson, the Desert Museum, and a 2-4-1 pass to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Breakfasts and additional passes can be purchased separately.

Finally, the SAR Annual Celebration takes place on Sunday night, January 25th at iconic Tucson location, Gentle Ben's Brewery. Food is free, drinks are on your own. Come out, hang out with old friends, and make new ones as we celebrate running in Tucson. See details and registration here.

Take Speedway from I-10 all the way west, turn south on Kinney and Old Tucson Studios is just ahead—or Take Ajo west from I-10 to Kinney Road and head north. Park in the main lots at Old Tucson Studios.

Event Weekend Schedule

Saturday, January 26
10:00am-2:00pm T-shirt and race number pick up at The Running Shop (3055 North Campbell).
YES: you can pick up the number and shirt of someone else.
YES: you can still register other people

7:30 – 8:30am Registration and packet pick-up in the Old Tucson parking lot, by the old-fashioned camera boom.
NOTE: Because the men’s race starts at 8:15, men’s registration will close at 8:00 am. Women’s registration and One-Mile registration will close at 8:30 am.

8:00 Men begin to line up in the center of Old Tucson, on Main Street by the Palace Theatre.

9:00 Women and One-Milers begin to line up in the center of Old Tucson, on Main Street, by the Palace Theatre. Please cheer for men still finishing their final lap as they run down Main Street from the Old White Church.

9:15 The women’s 4-miler and all the one-milers will start

9:15 (approx) Trailside breakfast begins at Bitter Creek, by the finish line. Breakfast will end at about 10:15 or so.

9:45 (approx) Men’s Award Ceremony begins

10:00 (approx) Lil’ Pardner Children’s Dash, presented by Old Tucson and Craig Dabler Jewelers, starting at the finish line at Bitter Creek. Children will receive sheriff’s badge or bandanna from Old Tucson Studios

NOTE# 1: Yes, men can run in the women’s race and women can run in the men’s race. However, in the interest of fairness, pacing of leaders and age group leaders is not allowed, and if you run in the other gender race you are not eligible for age group awards.
NOTE# 2: All registrants receive a free breakfast (including the 10-and under children).

Course, Staging and Other Information

The 4 Mile course will follow the same course as the past few years – start on Main Street and do one full loop of Main Street, leave town and do a two-mile stretch through the horse trails, washes, and dirt roads, then climb the short hill behind Bitter Creek to the three-mile mark, and do one final loop before finishing in front of the Bitter Creek set by the rodeo grounds.

The One Mile will do a loop and a half of the inner grounds of Old Tucson. The One Mile is closer to 1¼ miles.

Due to the rugged terrain, there are no bicycles, wheelchairs, skateboards, roller skates or pets allowed on the course.

The courses will be marked with pink and orange flagging, with volunteers from Sahuaro High School Cross Country team out on the course.

Quick advice: If you cannot see a flag, you’re probably off course. Keep your eyes open. Don’t assume the person in front of you knows where he or she is going. Snakes should be sleeping, but don’t run into cactus. We ran the course last week and trimmed the trees and cactus, but, still, keep your eye on the trails!

Volunteers - Special thanks to the track and cross country teams of Sahuaro High School for being course marshals and water station volunteers. Special thanks to the Workout Group team of volunteers for helping set the course on Saturday afternoon! If you want to help out on race day, we’d be happy to put you to work – contact race director Randy Accetta at raccetta2@cox.net . . .

Water Stations – There is a water station at the Bitter Creek Set. Four-milers will pass the water station two times – at approximately ½ mile into the race then again at 3 miles into the race. One Milers will pass the water station at approximately 1/3 of a mile into their loop.

Timing - The race will be timed by SAR timer, Greg Wenneborg. Please put your bib number on the front of your shirt using the pins provided at registration. The race will be “gun timed” meaning that you will all receive the same starting time, but your finishing time will be captured by the IPICO device attached to your bib – please don’t fold, bend, pin, or otherwise mutilate your bib, otherwise the electronic system will not catch it. The one mile will not use the chip timing system, but will be timed electronically.

Drexel Heights Fire – The Drexel Heights Fire Department will have a dedicated ambulance on site during the duration of the two races, from 8:15-10:00.

Weather – The day is due to be partly cloudy, but warm with a slight chance of rain, with an overnight low of 49 and high of 68. Bring layers for the morning, but it’ll be warm by mid-morning. There is no bag check, so please be respectful of each other’s property. The course may be muddy from rain on Sunday.

The 4 Miler is part of the Desert Grand Prix presented by the Running Shop.

Make a Day of It: What You Get

In addition to a technical short-sleeve t-shirt and a free trailside breakfast, every registrant receives free entry into Old Tucson Studios for Sunday, January 27th. You will receive a wrist band when you pick up your number – this entitles you to stay in Old Tucson all day.

NOTE: Friends and family are allowed in Old Tucson during the event up until 10:00 am; to stay in town after 10:00, additional guest passes to Old Tucson are a discounted $8 per person and must be purchased by the runner at the park entrance beginning at 9:45am. A participant wearing a race wristband must be present to take advantage of this special rate.

Remember, all registrants receive a free breakfast (including children 10 and under).

Every registrant may use their bib number as a free admission ticket to the International Wildlife Museum on Sunday, January 27th.

Every registrant will receive one pass good for one free admission to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – this admission pass is good through May 31st, with the purchase of a single adult admission. (This is a new policy by the Desert Museum.)

NOTE: all children under 10 are free and will receive a bib number but no t-shirt. If we have shirts left over, they can be purchased for $20.

Sponsors
TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER A special thanks to Tucson Medical Center for all their support of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and the local health and fitness community. This race could not have such low entry fees without the support of TMC.

Special thanks to The Running Shop for awards and the logo

Thanks to Drexel heights for providing ambulance support. And thanks to Nawgin for providing recovery drinks for all participants. Thanks, too, to the Desert Museum and the Wildlife Museum.

Awards
Raffles - All preregistered participants will be entered into a raffle for prizes to be given out at the awards ceremony. Prizes courtesy of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Old Tucson Studios, and The Running Shop.

Sunrise at Old Tucson, Updated Race Report

Jan 29, 2012

A quick post-race thank you to the almost 600 registrants for the Sunrise at Old Tucson Cross Country Trail Run. As you can see from the race results Greg has posted, runners came from as far away as Wisconsin, Washington, New York, Minnesota and Hereford. Indeed, it was good to see old friends in the 80+ bracket Sully Sullivan (89) and Geri Sullivan (83), plus Del Kruschke, Don Branaman, Dave Mallady, Sue Smith, and Joe Cary in the 70+. Inspirations to all, old and young alike. Speaking of young, thanks to Old Tucson for providing cowboy kerchiefs to the kid’s race participants—and to the 80 or so who signed up for the family fun run and walk. As you can see from the results, some serious speed was on display today, with Matt Chandler from the UA Law School taking first place in the men’s race with Seattle’s Tahoma Kalsa taking second and Tucson’s Dustin Zimmerman picking up third. In the separate women’s race, Tia Accetta cruised to victory, with longtime Arizona running standout Beth Elickson taking second place and Stephanie Wenneborg picking up third. Great Master’s running was displayed by Bob Schnell (first) and Toby Freebourn, while Beth Ellickson picked up the Master’s win, with Michelle Hawk and Janet Holland hot on her tail.

Age group results are listed on the results page, and if you did not pick up your age group award you can get it at The Running Shop. Please remember that men who ran in the women’s race and women who ran in the men’s race will be listed in the race that they ran and are not eligible for age group awards.

Funds from the race go to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the Wildcat Youth Hockey Association, as well as the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and the Children’s Fitness Fund.

Special thanks to race site, Old Tucson, for all their help with the race. Of course, without sponsors like Body Basics, the Running Shop, BodyArmor drinks, Worldly Soles, Tucson Medical Center, Cox Communications, Caliente and the Arizona Daily Star, and MOTOACTV, the new GPS Fitness Tracker and Smart MP3 player from Motorola, races like this could never happen. And even though they are a beneficiary, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation’s Team Duke program contributes a lot to the race, with many wonderful raffle prizes. Thank you JWCF!

Race sponsor Body Basics “invites you to bring in your race number and receive 50% off our Movement Screen, helping you identify any imbalances that could be leading to pain or discomfort. We can help you feel better doing what you love! Offer good until Feb. 14th.”

And Motoral says, “Get through the toughest miles with MOTOACTV, the new GPS fitness tracker and Smart MP3 Player from Motorola that helps you power through workouts with music and tracks your stats. For more information, visit www.motorola.com/motoactv.”

Speaking of contributing a lot, Sunrise could not be put on without the support of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and a tremendous volunteer corps! Thanks to Donnie, Liz, Gina, Michelle, SteveO, and Monica for setting up all the flags the day before the race—and thanks to Tia for double-checking things on race morning. And thanks to Michelle, Craig Dabler, and Buddy for cleaning the course of all those orange flags after the race. Thanks to Pam Schlottman and the cross country team from Sahuaro High School for the on-course and water-station help. And thanks to Steve and Sheryl for coordinating all the registration volunteers: Judie Shyman and Ed Melnick, Kathi Hanley, Sam Caito ( friend of Kathi Hanley’s from Ohio), Royce Marion, Michelle Hawk, Diane Manzini, Marti Ackerman, Robin Gerard, Christine Outridge, Shirley Hester, Maureen Cunningham, Connie Lopez, and Gary Giese. Steve Outridge did triple duty, with race course, registration, the SAR table, and clean up crew. Speaking of cleaning up, thanks to Tia, SteveO, Lucas Tyler, Tim Bentley, Craig Dabler, Craig Curley, Greg Wenneborg, and SAR President Mary Lasser for helping load up all the post-race materials—boy, that’s a chore at the end of a long day!

Finally, we ran out of the Desert Museum passes so we will track down some more and get them over to the Running Shop so that the few of you who did not receive one will still be able to receive your free pass to the great Desert Museum. If you have questions or comments about the race, email me at raccetta2@cox.net or post ‘em to the http://www.facebook.com/SouthernArizonaRoadrunners page.

Race information for Sunday’s Sunrise at Old Tucson 4-miler and 1-miler

Jan 24, 2012

When and Where
When – Sunday, January 29th, 2012
Where – Old Tucson Studios
Time – 8:15 start time for men’s race; 9:15 start time for women’s race; 9:15 start time for one-mile walk/run
Parking and Directions: Old Tucson Studios, 201 South Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85735. Take Speedway from I-10 all the way west, turn south on Kinney and Old Tucson Studios is just ahead—or Take Ajo west from I-10 to Kinney Road and head north. Park in the main lots at Old Tucson Studios.

Event Weekend ScheduleSaturday, January 28
10:00am-2:00pm T-shirt and race number pick up at The Running Shop (3055 North Campbell).
YES: you can pick up the number and shirt of someone else.

Sunday, January 29
7:15 – 8:30am Registration and packet pick-up in the Old Tucson parking lot, by the old-fashioned camera boom. NOTE: Because the men’s race starts at 8:15, men’s registration will close at 7:45 am. Women’s registration and One-Mile registration will close at 8:30 am.
8:00 Men begin to line up in the center of Old Tucson, on Main Street by the Palace Theatre.
8:15 The men’s 4-mile race start - Marshall Garret will fire the starter’s pistol
9:00 Women and One-Milers begin to line up in the center of Old Tucson, on Main Street, by the Palace Theatre. Please cheer for men still finishing their final lap as they run down Main Street from the Old White Church.
9:15 The women’s 4-miler and all the one-milers will start
9:15 (approx) Trailside breakfast begins at Bitter Creek, by the finish line. Breakfast will end at about 10:15 or so.
9:45 (approx) Men’s Award Ceremony begins
10:00 (approx) Lil’ Pardner Children’s Dash, presented by Old Tucson and Craig Dabler Jewelers, starting at the finish line at Bitter Creek

NOTE# 1: Yes, men can run in the women’s race and women can run in the men’s race. However, in the interest of fairness pacing of leaders and age group leaders is not allowed, and if you run in the other gender race you are not eligible for age group awards.
NOTE# 2: If you see Lynn and her friends all running in the women’s race with cowboy hats, wish Lynn a happy birthday!
NOTE #3: All registrants receive a free breakfast (including the 10-and under children). Additional breakfast passes are $6.50 and can be purchased at the Bitter Creek trailside breakfast.

Course, Staging and Other Information
The 4 Mile course will follow the same course as the past few years – start on Main Street and do one full loop of Main Street, leave town and do a two-mile stretch through the horse trails, washes, and dirt roads, then climb the short hill behind Bitter Creek to the three-mile mark, and do one final loop before finishing in front of the Bitter Creek set by the rodeo grounds.

The One Mile will do a loop and a half of the inner grounds of Old Tucson. The One Mile is closer to 1¼ miles.

Due to the rugged terrain, there are no bicycles, wheelchairs, skateboards, roller skates or pets allowed on the course.

The courses will be marked with pink and orange flagging.

Quick advice: If you cannot see a flag, you’re probably off course. Keep your eyes open. Don’t assume the person in front of you knows where he or she is going. Don’t run into cactus.

Volunteers - Special thanks to the track and cross country teams of Sahuaro High School for being course marshals and water station volunteers. Special thanks to the Workout Group team of volunteers for helping set the course on Saturday afternoon! If you want to help out on race day, we’d be happy to put you to work – contact race director Randy Accetta at raccetta2@cox.net . . . Water Stations – There is a water station at the Bitter Creek Set. Four-milers will pass the water station two times – at approximately ½ mile into the race then again at 3 miles into the race. One Milers will pass the water station at approximately 1/3 of a mile into their loop.Timing - The race will be timed by SAR timer, Greg Wenneborg. Please put your bib number on the front of your shirt using the pins provided at registration. Rural Metro – Rural Metro will have a dedicated ambulance on site during the duration of the two races, from 8:15-10:15. T-shirts - Men’s and women’s cuts in long sleeve technical shirts from Runners Reward. Weather – The day is due to be sunny and warm, with an overnight low of 43 and high of 74. Bring layers for the morning, but it’ll be warm by mid-morning. There is no bag check, so please be respectful of each other’s property.

The 4 Miler is part of the Desert Grand Prix presented by the Running Shop.

Make a Day of It: What You Get
In addition to a technical long-sleeve t-shirt and a free trailside breakfast, every registrant receives free entry into Old Tucson Studios for Sunday, January 29th. You will receive a wrist band when you pick up your number – this entitles you to stay in Old Tucson all day.

NOTE: Friends and family are allowed in Old Tucson during the event up until 10:00 am; to stay in town after 10:00, additional guest passes to Old Tucson are a discounted $8 per person and must be purchased by the runner at the park entrance beginning at 9:45am. A participant wearing a race wristband must be present to take advantage of this special race entrance rate.

Remember, all registrants receive a free breakfast (including children 10 and under). Additional breakfast passes are $6.50 and can be purchased at the Bitter Creek trailside breakfast.

Every registrant may use their bib number as a free admission ticket to the International Wildlife Museum on Sunday, January 29th.

Every registrant will receive one pass good for one free admission to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – this admission pass is good through the rest of 2012.

NOTE: all children under 10 are free and will receive a bib number and Desert Museum pass. If we have shirts left over, they can be purchased for $20.

Sponsors
TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER A special thanks to Tucson Medical Center for all their support of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and the local health and fitness community. This race could not have such low entry fees without the support of TMC.

Thanks to Rural Metro for providing ambulance support. And thanks to BodyArmor for providing recovery drinks for all participants. Thanks, too, to the Desert Museum and the Wildlife Museum.

Special thanks to The Running Shop and Worldly Soles for awards and the logo!

Awards
Raffles - All preregistered participants will be entered into a raffle for prizes to be given out at the awards ceremony. Prizes courtesy of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Old Tucson Studios, the Wildlife Museum, and The Running Shop.

Beneficiaries
John Wayne Cancer Foundation and Team Duke. Team DUKE is an athletic fundraising program unlike any other. You pick the sport. You pick the event. And all of your hard work benefits the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, whose mission is to bring courage, strength and grit to the fight against cancer. See http://www.teamduke.org.

You can also register at the Running Shop on Saturday, March 12th from 10-3 and at Old Tucson Studios itself on Sunday morning, March 13th from 6:30-8:00.

We want to provide a special weekend of the best tourist and family attractions in the region. Special thanks to our friends at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, the International Wildlife Museum, and Old Tucson Studios—every participant receives free entry into each of these great attractions.

To ensure a more wide-open course, this year we’ll have three events, with a new race for those 40 years old and over.
8:00 Open race. This is for everyone who is under 40 years old. (Anyone over 40 can run in the open if they choose, but master’s prizes are only given in the 40+ section).
9:00 40+ race. Special over-forty race for everyone who is 40 and over. Race against peers!
9:00 One mile race, fun run, and walk. Family-friendly walk and run for anyone who wants to have fun on the dusty streets of Old Tucson Studios.

Sunrise at Old Tucson race photos available

Mar 29, 2010

Sunrise at Old Tucson race photos from the professional photographer are available at http://www.coxsportsphotos.com..&nbsp; Click here to go straight to the Sunrise at Old Tucson page. Random photos of the day are here. You can search the pages by bib number here. Jim Cox is the fellow who took the pictures—you can .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)! Thanks for coming out—enjoy the photos!

Sunrise At Old Tucson Race Report

Mar 7, 2010

Well, that was close—as I write this Sunday afternoon, rain is lashing my windows and the tree overhead is threatening to blow onto our roof, but this morning dawned clear and bright out at Old Tucson, with a sparkling, if windy, Sunrise for almost 600 runners, walkers, and lil’ cowboys and cowgirls.

Check out the race site for a new batch of race day photos, courtesy of Cox Sports Photos – see http://www.coxsportsphotos.com over the coming days as Jim Cox uploads hundreds of race photos. Thanks to Mike Salkowski and Finn for the great Facebook photos!

The race started by the Palace Saloon on Old Tucson’s Main Street, with a hundred yards of fast downhill, followed by a quick left past the rodeo grounds, then an inner loop of town before hitting the horse trails. This year saw a huge increase in family walkers, and they scooted past the rodeo grounds just in time as the fast boys cruised down the hill after their second loop, with Catlow Shipek, James Miles, and Ian Johnson leading the way into the trails and back to the finish line.

Competing for the Running Shop/Workout Group Racing Club, Catlow announced a return to competitive racing with his overall victory, while the Running Shop’s James Miles got even with Fleet Feet Racing Team’s Ian Johnson for Ian’s recent YMCA victory.

For the women, the Workout Group’s Tia Accetta jumped out to an early lead over xterra athlete Katharina Beeler as they headed into the trails, and held on for her third straight SAR victory. Ms. Beeler held off a hard-charging Team Tri-Sport Kara Middendorf, as the two triathletes raced to second and third respectively.

For the over-40 crowd, Doug Kelley proved that he is over his broken leg of a few years ago with a decisive master’s victory, and Pam Schlottman cruised to an easy victory for the women.

Of course, not all was roses, as an email from one participant indicates: “I super enjoyed the run this weekend, despite the cactus in my nose from it (don’t ask, let’s just chalk it up to allergies).”

Some notable finishers include Matthew Zhine and Sully Sullivan, who waged a spirited duel, as both 86-year-olds duked it out over the trails, with Sully winning by a mere 12 seconds. And 77-year old Delwin Kruschke was a few yards behind the two front-runners, proving that we all have great things to look forward to! Age group awards in the four-miler can be picked up at the Running Shop at 3055 North Campbell through the end of March, 2010.

The 4-miler also included Luis Carrion, the KUAT Arizona Illustrated journalist who has done so many great pieces on running lately, including the recent piece on barefoot running (interestingly, we didn’t see a lot of bare feet out there today . . . ). Also on hand was the self-styled “Mexican Lone Ranger” (see photo on the main race webpage) who took 24th overall then hammed it up with the Old Tucson gunslingers during the awards ceremony.

The Sunrise at Old Tucson One Mile World Championship was a close affair, with Jacob Mares, Ren Johnson, Chase Schnell, Shannon Grabeau, and Jordan Chavez and brother Alex Chavez taking the top places.

As race director, I am once again humbled by the great community of runners we have here in Tucson. I was grateful to see the names of so many friends and acquaintances on the registration forms – and especially grateful to see so many names that I don’t recognize. . . . thank you for being willing to spend the day with the Southern Arizona Roadrunners!

We can’t do runs like this without great sponsor help. Marie Demarais and all the folks at Old Tucson have been super helpful, as have our media sponsors The Arizona Daily Star’s Caliente section, Clear Channel and 92.9 The Mountain, and Cox Communications. Thanks to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and the International Wildlife Museum for providing the free admission passes, and thanks to Kara Middendorf for the use of the Tile Outlet truck! Tucson old-timers know that this race is an outgrowth of the fabulous Sundown at the Pass, produced by Sharon Bart and The Running Shop. The race director wishes to thank Sharon for letting us use her artwork and concept, and Kim Bourn who was Sundown race director in the early 2000’s.

A special thanks to race beneficiary the John Wayne Cancer Center – they provided a slew of great Team Duke technical t-shirts that were used as raffle prizes and bunches of Team Duke sunscreen. You can’t go wrong by sending some donation dollars to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation or joining Team Duke to race on their behalf.

Because of our participants and with the help of Tucson Medical Center, we will provide funds to the John Wayne Cancer Center and the Southern Arizona Roadrunners. Our bib numbers came from South Carolina and blank t-shirts from Phoenix, but everything else is spent here in town, from Excel Printing to Kola’s t-shirt printing to Old Tucson catering to the local folks who run poster-distribution routes. As we attract additional participants and sponsors, we look forward to growing our fundraising capabilities, too.

Of course, races like this cannot be done with gracious volunteers: Steve & Sheryl Felde, Jennifer Hardy, and Amelie Messingham volunteered at packet pick up on both Saturday and Sunday, while Sandy White, Marc Janis, Connie Lopez, Olga Kuhn, Don Branaman, and Christina Dye helped at registration. Mike Salkowski & his son, Finn, plus the whole Plassman family got roped into various duties throughout race day, too (particularly impressive as JoeP had run the Old Pueblo 50-miler the day before!)

Thanks to the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity for providing about 20 college students to help – they treated the runners like a cattle drive, keeping everyone moving in the right direction! Speaking of the right direction, over the past few months, Toby Freebourn, Lucas Tyler, and Jason Colavito got dragged out to Old Tucson to run possible variations of the course with the race director, while the night before the race Gina Nelson, John Sabatine, Steve Outridge and his 10-year-old daughter, Christina, made sure that the course was well marked for race morning. Doug Kelly, Lucas Tyler, and Mary Lasser ran the course after the race to pick up all the flagging. Thanks to Greg Wenneborg and his Pima Community College crew of Craig Curley and Joe Cuffari who coordinated the timing.

A final thanks to our new sponsor, Tucson Medical Center. TMC has provided a major boost to this race and June’s TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k Night Run, and I’m super excited about working with them to promote health and wellness throughout our region. TMC has some great ideas about how to fix up the Valentine’s Day run, so it promises to be an exciting year coming up. As race director, I should also thank my real job at the UA’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship for all their support to work on this and the other races.

Changes are afoot for next year: it looks like 600 runners is all the course can handle, so perhaps next year we’ll have a few different heats: a men’s race, a women’s race, and a one-mile. Suggestions are always welcome.

On behalf of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners, thank you for being part of Sunrise at Old Tucson!

Sunrise at Old Tucson Details

Mar 3, 2010

Here’s an update on Sunrise at Old Tucson Cross Country Trail Run. First, the courses look to be 4.0 miles and 1.1 miles; breakfast will be eggs, tortillas, juice, chips and more; every child in the free kid’s run gets a sheriff’s badge; and every registrant gets a great t-shirt—burnt orange for men, black or tangerine in a women’s cut. Make a day of it: free admission to Old Tucson with additional discount tickets of $8 available for purchase before the race, plus a free pass to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum good all year. Finally, your bib number gets you free entry into the Wildlife Museum on Sunday.

Online registration has been extended to Friday, March 5th at noon. You can also visit the Running Shop (3055 N Campbell) on Saturday from 10-3 to register and pick up your number and shirt. Finally, packet pick up and registration is also on Saturday, March 7th at Old Tucson Studios from 6:45-8:00 am. The races start at 8:30 am!

The John Wayne Cancer Foundation will be on hand promoting their Team Duke fundraising teams—last year, they had some great giveaways! We’ll also have official race photographers from Cox Sports Photos taking photos, plus a film crew from Cox Communications.

We will start in the heart of Main Street, heading south, then do a large loop throughout the main grounds of Old Tucson. At the mile mark, the shorter race will see the finish area at Bitter Creek (where we started and finished last year), while the longer race will head out to the single track and dirt road trails on the grounds of Old Tucson for a 2 mile zig-zaggy loop. The final mile of the race is the same loop around the inner grounds of Old Tucson, with the finish at Bitter Creek—where breakfast and cowboys and cowgirls await! The trails will be marked with red flagging, and we’re scheduled to have about 30 UofA Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity students out on the course . . .

Overall prizes and age group awards and raffle awards will be provided by The Running Shop, Old Tucson Studios, and Team Duke. Thanks to the Running Shop for all their help with the logo and concept, plus their years of doing Sundown at the Pass!